Yoga
fromYoga Journal
1 week ago15-Minute Morning Yoga to Clear Your Mental Clutter
A short, no-props morning yoga flow of breaths and gentle standing poses grounds the body, clears mental fog, and readies the mind for the day.
I have since learned that the most difficult yoga pose is the one which confronts each student's weaknesses head on. Strength poses were no challenge for this student, but perhaps a stretching asana would have been. I have also learned that strength means more than just confronting one's weaknesses; probably the most difficult "asana" of them all is standing on one's own feet, questioning and analyzing for oneself the deeper meaning of asana, yoga, and life.
I will never forget my striking initial reactions to Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose or Lateral Angle Pose), one of the most beautiful and strongest of the standing poses, developed by B.K.S. lyengar. The first time I tried the pose I could not believe the difficulty it presented. Holding the right angle of the front leg exactly at 90 degrees without bending the back leg, and keeping the front knee exactly over the foot, seemed impossible, and I was exhausted by the attempt.